A psycopath in training?
by KMA-KISS.MEH.ASS
Summary: Is Robin really who Batman and the others think? Or is he made of something less than good? Tipped twoards darkness of the unnatural kind? Will the team find out what really is behind the walls of his mind? Or will he turn into something more?
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

* * *

><p>He looked though his mask, staring down at the filthy streets, the whores on the corners, the gangsters huddled in the alleys. Mob bosses in several wearhouses, homeless people swarming around the overflowing trash bins, and runaways stealing and fighting, sometimes killing, just to survive the hour.<p>

This was not just a home. A life. A city. It was his home. His life. His city.

This is what he protected -

Whores.

Gangsters.

Mob bosses.

Murders.

Theives.

Psychopaths.

The list of horror will go on as time wears away what little sence of humanity these people-Dare he call the human?-have.

-And for what?

Was this what Batman saw? Or was it what he saw in the past? Did he see only the good they did? Or merely tried to reach a fruitless goal never to be achieved? Or maybe he knew that there was nothing to save, and by being the only one who tried, he was seen as terrifying...A huge ego? He glanced at his caped mentor, who in turn looked back at him, questioning.

The city of criminals feared them, for they saw what really lied beneath the surface of daylight.

The city of innocence had dimmed, slowly fading to black, to evil.

Shrugging, Robin looked back down at the crowded streets below. What he saw was not streets, but gutters. Gutters that were overflowing with human blood, rotting corpses basking in the half-hidden moonlight, their faces frozen in terrified screams and harshly disfigured. The vermin that have somehow survived this long will drown in their combined blood lust and sex and murder. It will be intresting to watch, how this city will burn itself to the ground...or rather, drown in a seas of blood caused by a hate with no foundation.

Right now, they stared into the gates of high fire and darkness, the smell of brimstone burning through the air. Hell has opened again, having reached the Witching hour, taking more souls every night. Every person with any sort of intelligence will be left speechless, while the rest will screaming in agony. They will scream like children, who have just began witnessing what they have been sheltered from their entiore life: Reality.

The night reeks of murder and fear.

When his mind began thinking such thoughts, all he had to remember his first night as Robin...

_The alley was cold and deserted._

Even now, he doesn't know what made him jump into it.

Was it a scream? A gut feeling? Batman's order?

_There were three consecutive pops seconds after he landed in a puddle of some sort. The first thing Robin was aware of was pain. It seared through his mind. He couldn't think, could barely breathe and couldn't move. His vision was fading and quivering, he couldn't focus his vision. His chest was on fire, it felt as though someone had taken a white-hot poker and was stabbing him repeatedly with each intake of breath. The intensity was too much…..he was going to…._

_His vision cleared for a few seconds, he wish it hadn't. He desperately wished it hadn't. This scene, small and ominous, burned like an iron in the back of his mind. There, laying next to him, facing him, eyes open and glazed with death, was a child. Blood pooled around her head, or what was left of it. Grey brain matter was splattered all over him and the ground. Blood poured freely from her skull, its entire upper half missing. Her skull's pieces, white and drenched in blood, was scattered everywhere. Her eyes seemed to stare into his very soul….._

Robin shuttered at the memory, several weeks afterward.

_He felt like icy water had cascaded down his back. It was fear, it was hate and it was painful. This image, this one, small, image burned his soul; nearly engulfed it in a sea of flames, brilliant against the void of his lonely, frozen heart. This solitary image kept it, the fear burning him. It slashed at his heart, repeatedly. It kept him up, late at night, wondering if he could have done anything, anything that might have helped. It caused him an agony, every day, to live and know, there was nothing he could have done. He felt the sting of tears but blinked them away. What good could come from crying? Nothing but weakness, crying was._

He shuttered again, clearing his mind. Now though, he barely felt any of that. The fear, the pain...But he felt the hate.

At times he feared he was becoming Batman.

Others, he felt like he was worse.

Even as Batman, he felt pain and fear and rage. As Robin, he felt disgust and distain. But somethimes, in the dead of winter nights, when crimson is splashed against sooty snow, he understands a villian's reasons for world domination. A need for a perfect society. The only thing stopping him, he knows to some vauge extent, is that he would hate to have to be some babaysitter for all of the adults, who should know by now that reality is more terrifying than any nightmare.

An alam goes off in the distance, snatching their attention.

Without a word, the disappear into the darkness of night, into the darkness in the minds of men.

Robin's creepy crackle rings throughout the emty streets, warning away those who dare interfere with his fun.

Somehow, somewhere deep inside, he knew his fun would end. But was it fun? The bullets, the blood, the broken bones? The dead people, the kidnappings, the irritating villians with their stupid need to having a pissing contest with The Batman? Strange to admit, but it was the best life in the world. He couldn't get enough of it.

And he knew that attitude would someday get him killed.

And he couldn't bring himself to care.

When they arrived, he went right inside. Gunshots were going off like crazy; the police huddling behind their cars in terror. Robin paused to wonder, did fear mean weakness? Or was it an instinct of survival? To be cauious?

Inside, they found three thugs and a madman. Joy. Bats had gone off to do wahever it was Bats did when there was a gun-type distraction from the real, behind-the-scene picture. Probably Joker or Ivy or...

_Bang!_

"Hey, bird brains! C'me down! Looks like yer suck in here with us!" one laughed, hefting his rifle. A rifle? A _hunting_ gun? Man, Joker, or whoever it is, is slipping...  
>"The problem is...I'm not stuck in here with you..." he left his voice echo against the walls, and disappeared into the rafters, his voice eerily serious and threatening, "You're trapped in here with me!" He shot into action, scaring most of them shitless before knocking them all out.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

* * *

><p>"Now...Tell me what you see." Canary was going through and giving another evaluation of their mental health, and it was Robin's turn. That was weird in itself, since he was on patrol last night and the others had a mission. He was surprised that he was included. Then again, Batman was problably worried about that comment...The one where he said they were trapped with <em>him<em>...

She held up a white card with black ink.

Going for the basics much?

He turned his attention at the paper in her hand.

He saw a woman's carcus in an alleyway with a building off to the right, the murderer standing to her left. He held something small in his hand, something dripping from it. What he was a blade, dripping, and blood was sokaing his shoes.

"Is that some sort of animal? Maybe Wally raiding the kitchen...?" he cocked his head like a dog, and couldn't help but smirk at her expression. Obviously someone up high in the League thought something was wrong with him, but others just didn't see it. Canary being one of them. Were they blind or did they trust too much? Or was there really something wrong with him?

He doubted that there wasn't because he saw blood behind his eyelids when he falls asleep. He heard screams echoing in his dreams, which were worse than nightmares, since at one point, they had been a starnge reality...

"And here?" another thing of ink. She was serious about this. He sat up straighter and looked at it closely...it reminded him of something.

He stared.

He saw a man handing from a fire escape, the rope creaking in the silent summer's night. A breeze shifted twoards him, bringing with it the smell of human waste and garbage. The body was already rotting, maggots feeding on its flesh. He had been driven mad by a consuming guilt that was not his own. He felt guilty for the mere fact that he had lived when his wife and child had died, when struck by a drunken driver.

He blinked.

"Flowers on my mother's grave." She gave him a sad smile, knowing who he was and what he's been through.

He was glad for the glasses, becuase now he was glaring at her. He didn't need her pity, didn't want her sympathy. Those two things were the worse insults anyone could give him. Those two things ate away at him, irritated the hell out of him. He had grown up around it, in the circus by other parents and kids, when tey found out who he was. It was worse when he first stared living at the mannor, when Bruce had friends over. Even now, people still olooked at him and saw a tramatized child and not a strong-minded teen.

No one ever knew this, however. Not even The Batman. Robin had known that the only way to keep something from the World's greatest detective was to never say it, never hint at it, and never let him see it.

"Okay, one more...Here." He could feel her gaze on his face.

Looking, he saw a street that wasn't a street. It was nothing more than an extended gutter, where rats and snakes interlocked in a bloody battle of life and death, where murder and rape and smuggling won out against hard work and love and happiness. Happiness. It was just a word to him now. A distant, faded memory. A vauge feeling lost over time in the realities of war, of the fight of good and evil.

"A...tree...? With someone sitting under it...?" He plucked it from her hand and twisted in around. "Yeah. A tree and someone sitting. Maybe some clouds in the background..." he traced his finger along where he saw what.

He looked up and caught her smiling. "What?"

-X-

He wondered into the kitchen and garbbed himself a soda. Coke, which was his favorite. He twisted off the cap and thought that there wasn't much of a difference between taking a cap off a bottle and taking a head off a body. He mused that, if this were a body, he was drinking its blood. That caused a laugh to bubble in his chest.

"What's so funny?" Wally asked, grabbing some of M'gann's burned cookies.  
>"Nothing." he mumbled, suddenly realizing that Wally wouldn't appreciate his humor.<br>"Aw, come on, Robbie! I wanna know." he whined.  
>"No." he eyed the team warily, since everyone was now crowded around him. Was this really so intresting to him? Finding out what poor Robbie liked?<br>"Well, why not?" he huffed, shoveling food into his mouth.  
>"I don't like you." the words were past his lips before he could even process their meaning. That was blunt. But that was life, which was like a knife; one that was rusting and slick with tears and crimson.<br>"What? Why?" he looked hurt. Oh, well.  
>"You're irritating and self-centered and bad at flirting and i hate it when people call me 'Robbie'." he turned on his heel and walked out.<p>

This team was going to self-destruct. He thought it best to stay out of immediate danger by sticking to the shadows, in places people didn't see and couldn't know where he was, so that when the shit hit the fan, he'd come out realativly unscathed.

But that didn't mean he couldn't have fun when being stuck in the corner on a ticking time bomb of a team.

After a few hours, he made his way back into the common room, where everyone was lounging around. They were talking and laughing and watching Tv. Did this surprise him? A bit. He'd be lying to himself if he thought it wasn't a bit odd. And he had learned that lying to one's self was the same as being coddled. He would not be coddled.

Kaldur paused and watched him enter. This caused everyone to turn around and stare.

He cocked an eyebrow in the silence. Was he really that strange a person? Or did they see, perhaps sence, something off about him? Or were they uneasy about him in some way? Unease, that was something left fopr Batman. Or would that be fear? Then, unease would be his. Unsease could quickly turn to fear if given the right push. He was taught them first hand.

"And the silence of the screams left me frozen with fear." he said loudly.  
>"My apologies-"<br>"Dude, that's-"  
>"Sorry! I-"<br>"What your-"  
>and a growl from Superboy, who was recently dubbed Conner, was his answer.<p>

"Yeah, yeah." he waved his hand, as though wavering awar their words. "I was kidding. Okay? Jeeze. No sence of humor..."


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? What's that?

* * *

><p>Humanity.<p>

Was it really a word? Or something made up? To make others feel safe from their friends? Was a friend a real thing? Or did they all wish to stab you in the back first chance they got? Was that what Batman thought? Is that why only four people knew who he really was, himself included?

He had given up trying to figure out what '_Humanity'_supposedly meant years ago. Dictonaries were what other people thought the word meant, not what it actually meant in terms of reality. They were nothing more than empty words and promises, false truths and lies; hate and pain and lust mixing horribly to create a society on the verge of overpopulation and war.

Lies.

All of it.

He knew the truth of the situation they had found themselves in better then most.

If not all.

But, again, why was he thinking this? Oh, that's right. They had a mission and that stupid, nonsencial word had appeared on a billboard.

Humanity.

Now, they were back at the cave, nusrisng their wounds and sulking over their hurt pride and shattered ego. Well, the others were. He couldn't care less weather or not that mission was a failure. It had been a moronic job that a monkey could have done.

And Bats had known that.

They were offically shoved back into that corner.

And it pissed him off.

"Ah, watch it!" Artemis hissed. He looked up at her with a bored expression. She has a cut going down her arm in need of stitches, which he was trying to do, since he was trying to be nice.

And why was he?

He had no clue.

"Fine." he said, dropping her hand. "I hope it gets infected after you bleed out."

"W-What?" She looked as shocked as all of the others.

"You heard me. If that doesn't get stitched, you'll bleed out. Or, if you're lucky and live, you'll just need it amputated because of infection. Bet you wouldn't be able to use that bow of yours again" He still held onto the stitch kit. "So. Ya gonna let me help or not?"

She allowed him to contiue, tears welling in her eyes. Seems he forgot the morphine...

"Why would they do that?" whimpered M'gann, obviously talking about what they had seen.

Robin couldn't help but want to point out, would people change if they truly saw the world for what it was? Instead, he replied, "You don't know the worst of it; how bad it actually is and how awful its gonna get."

"No, but I've seen the best of it. I've seen a man sacrifice his life for a complete stranger and a father pass up a life preserver for his child to have it, causing his own death. I've seen the love of a family glow through the dark times they had faced." Kal pointed out as he leaned against a cot.

"But what have you seen?" Conner's eyes went to Robin, who was finishing wrapping up Artemis's arm.

"Death. Blood. Hate. Treachery. Deceit. That list goes on forever, Kon, but no one knows if it will ever stop."

"But what about love? Happiness? Life?"

"I've seen love fade and be replaced with hate. Happiness tuned to sorrow over night. And life taken by many people from even less.

"Rob….?"

"Yeah, Wally?"

"If….If you had the chance to love, would you? Would you stop thinking that the world was unable to be saved and actually felt love, in the truest form, would you?"

"And bring that person down with me? Have them kidnapped and murdered because they loved me? Someone like me? No. I wouldn't. And even if that were possible, even if i somehow deluded myself into thinking i could protect them, I wouldn't. Love is fickle and never lasts. Even a mother tossed her child into the ocean."

Recieving no answer, he contiued, realizing this is the longest talk they've ever had.

"People want to believe society is perfect. They don't want to see what's below, what's running deeper. They want to feel safe and loved. They're not willing to look behind the mask, to see its cracks and flaws up close."

"Dude, why do you think like this? That everyone has a hidden agenda?"

"Artey here is from a family of criminals. Gee, wonder what secrets she's hiding." Said artcher stiffened in shock and terror. He knew?

"Kal's mother died of an overdoes of some sort of Atlantian super-drug. Wonder what connections he's hiding?" Aqualad stiffened and glared at him.

"Conner is meant to be a super-weapon and defeat Superman if given the chance. He's a part of someone's hidden agenda, though indirect." Conner looked about ready to punch him through the wall.

"M'gann, sweet and innocent, had snuck onto Manhunter's bio-ship to come to earth. Why?" He sat down and let his legs hang off the cot, swinging them back and forth.

"But Wally, what's going on in your head? In your home? What are you hiding? Drugs? Abuse? Both? I know who your father is and what he does." He looked at them from across the room. "Bet you're wondering who i am."

He got no answer; everyone looked uneasy.

Uneasy into fear.

Fear into hate.

Hate into death.

"Life isn't fair Wally. My parents were murdered _right in front of me._ I watched their blood soak the ground; felt it soak my shoes and pants. I see their sightless eyes every time i look at their picture. I hear their screams echoing in my head every damn day. _Don't_ tell me life isn't always so bad. That day... ...Something broke inside me. I can't even begin to explain it. A rush of screaming pain, then sudden silence. Maybe it was my heart, possibly my sanity. Or perhaps it was the fragil innocence of a child. I was only eight years old."


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Anyone? No idea what it is...

* * *

><p><em>Remeber when they were fools?<em>

_And danced across the sky, reaching blindly for one another? So certian the other would catch them? Keep them safe through the night?_

_They still visit him in his dreams, or more accurately, their dying screams._

_The dark summer's night was succulent with harsh treachery and terror, thick as smoke and rising from the sewers, bring them stentch of rotting fruit and cardboard boxes. It was enough to make him sick. Though, somehow it reminded him of something. Especially the rotting fruit, smelling sickeningly sweet and sour, begging him to puke up what little bit he had in his stomach._

_And he did just that._

_"Rob? You okay?" Batgirl asked, leaning down. They were back in Goathem, scouting. For what, they weren't sure. Batman had been vauge and said they'd know when they saw it._

_"Fine." he spit out the rest of the stomach acid and partically chewed few out of his mouth, when he realized what the horrible smell was. He had smelled it so much over the years, an underlying stench, that he nearly forgot what it actually was. _

_Death. _

_Or, better yet, murder. A hidden body, in the alley, riddled with garbage, by a manhole. Great. "Just the reeking odor of a rotting corpse, probably infested with maggots, below us."_

_"What?" She nearly shreiked, looking over the side._

_"Betting its an overdosed hobo..." He muttered, climbing down the fire escape. He tredded carefully through the rotting filth, face scrunched in disgust and fighting off the urge to gag as he neared it. He saw a sheet over a body-looking-like thing. Great. Crimson splashed across it, splattered with greyish matter and sewage water. Was that human waste he saw on the corner?_

_Did they really drag this guy through the sewers?_

_Now_ that's _dedication._

_Begrudgenly, he pulled the corner back and nearly bit off his tounge. Fighting his gag reflex, he took a step back, allowing the sheet to flutter to the ground. The streetlamp was grimy and flickered until it went out, leaving moonlight. This guy's head was ripped cleaned off his shoulders, blood pooling below him and soaking into the boxes behind him. Maggots wormed their way in his neck and along the cuts on his beffy arms. From the look of his hands and forearms, Robin had to say this guy went down fighting._

_He saw the head setting in the guy's lap._

_It was Bruce._

Dick shot out of bed, and flung open the door to his private bathroom. He emtied all the food in his stomach into the crapper.

...

"Do you hear that?" Conner's head whipped around.

"Uh, no!" Wally growled as Megan moved closer to Conner.

"Sorry. But it sounds like someone is puking." There was only one person not in that room. Robin.

"Maybe that's why he's so damn skinny..." Artemis muttered.

...

Sometimes he feared he was becoming Batman, others he feared he was worse.

Rarely, he felt insuperior in every way.

He saw his mistakes, his faults and every time Batman called him on them, it stung, knowing the Bat was better .

But that was the first dream like that in a long time.

Was he growing a concious?

He hoped not.

(But what he dare not ask, is why would having one be so bad? Would it be becuase he wouldn't be able to stomach what the city threw at him? Or would it make him realize that there was nothing he could to save at least one person?)

He grabbed some clothes and turned the shower just a little hotter than he could stand, then climbed in. He scrubbed and scrubbed, trying in vain to wash away the filth of the world around.

Hate.

Burning hate.

Festering Hate.

God didn't kill that little girl; the one whose head was blown off. Fate didn't destroy her and destiny didn't lead her to those thugs; they had found her in the wrong place at the wrong time. If God saw what they had done that cold summer's night, He sure as hell didn't seem to give a shit or a second thought to her family, to her pain. Robin had come to realize and swallow what most grown men couldn't: God doesn't make the world this way. Humans do.

Why did it all go wrong?

When?

Whatever the reason, it's time to put up or shut up. That's today's world.

Now in the training room, he starts his routine. He does several summersaults and flips and twists; he does the bars and rings and trapeze. Nearly three hours pass before he realizes it.

Men get arrested...Dogs get put down...

What's the difference?

Men have a survival instinct...Dogs have survival instinct...

Men just use theirs for their own personal gain.

Yet only a few select men get the death penalty. In his honest opinion all child molesters, all rapists, all molesters, and all murderers should have the needle, no questions asked.

"Uhm...Yo, dude?" Wally called up, nearly startling Robin out of his routine.  
>"Yeah, what?" He didn't mean for it to come out so harsh...<br>"Uhm, dinner...time..." he watched as Robin allowed himself to drop, caught himself and flipped twoards him, in amazment; in awe.  
>"Close you mouth, Wallace. What kind of name is Wallace anyway?" He grabbed his water bottle and a towel.<p>

Wally just growled as they walked out of the training hall.

He was determined to be-friend this kid, in one sence or the other. He wanted to feel like this kid would watch his back, even if they weren't on the best of terms.

"Wally? I wasn't being serious..."  
>"Oh. Yeah, right." he gave a strained smile, racking his brain for something, anything, that could connect them together.<br>"Dude, are you okay?" Rob pulled away slightly, eyeing him warily.  
>"Yeah, yeah." Robin's eyes widened when he realized what Wally must have been thinking...<br>"What's your favorite color?"  
>"Blue. Yours?"<br>"Red."

-X-

"What is taking them so long?" Conner grumbled. M'gann would not let them eat until they were sitting with them.  
>"Dude! No way! I've been trying to get past that level for months!"<br>"I could show you how; i have the game in my room..."  
>"Really? Sweet!" Wally pumped his fist in the air and rushed twoards the food.<p>

Robin froze in place; everyone was staring at him, save Wally.

Plastering on a smile, totally fake, he moved up beside Wally, keeping the red-head between him and the rest of the others. He kept his head down as they ate, keeping out of the conversation, which was quiet and polite. But as time wore on, they started joking and laughing, making the gap between himself and the others seem even larger and more obvious.

But was that so bad? Being disconnected with the others? He wouldn't have to listen to their problems, or feel guilty if he hurt them in one way or another, he wouldn't have to remember their birthdays or favorite things and there'd be no urge to tell them all ablout him, who he really was beneath the mask or his name...

And he wouldn't know the joy of a friendship that was political...or have any reason to back down from a fight...or a reason that kept him grounded...or be able to make them laugh...or be able to tease them in a friendly manner which they wouldn't take seriously...or...

"Yo, Robbie! Dude? You alright?"  
>"Hn. Fine." he took a sip of his soda.<br>"What's wrong?" Wally asked, concern in his bright green eyes.  
>"I don't like you."<br>"What? Why?" he whined, looking seriously hurt.  
>"You keep calling me 'Robbie'. I hate it when people call me that."<br>"So...?" Wally looked confused.  
>"So, quite calling me 'Robbie' and i'll stop hating you. Call me 'Rob'." he couldn't stop from smirking at the ginger's red face.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p>Whispered secrets on the Bat-screen in the BatCave.<p>

He doesn't know he's listening, having crept along the shadows like a theif in the darkness of night.

He doesn't want him to know; to hear his worse nightmare become a reality.

Tony Zucco is alive and well and out of prison...was broken out of prison just hours ago.

Feeling like a cripple, plauged by surpressed emotions he hadn't realized he had, Robin ran out of the BatCave. The only problem? Bruce-Batman-had seen his cape and was chasing after him, calling to him; begging for him not to run off. He took off down the long entrance way, where the Batmobile rushes out of nearly every night. The lights were dim, having not been turned on properly. The ground was slick with the rain, or was it his tears? He pushed himself faster, his legs a blur against the cracked, white cement.

He didn't listen, didn't want to listen.

He ran head first into a stack of thorns that blocked the BtaCave's secret entrance and his clothing tore, blood welling on the cuts.

Bruce shouted again but it was drowned out by the thunder raging above, the cold rain pelting down on him, the pounding of his shattered heart.

He took off into the darkness of night, into the darkness of men, into the darkness that had captured his heart. He wanted that man dead. He wanted him to suffer, to see the bastard suffer. He wanted him to beg for his life, screaming out in agony. He wanted to feel his bones break under his fists and make him stare at his death. Hev wanted to watch him fall.

He rounded the corner and ran head-first into Aretims and Green Arrow. He and Artemis were knocked off their feet, while Green Arrow staggered.  
>"Robin?" the older arrow asked, concerned, and reached down to help the kid up. He was standing between Robin and the phone booth.<br>"I'm fine!" he snarled, lurching to his feet, shoving past the two archers and slammed the booth closed.

He didn't need to know why they were in Goathem; he knew who she really was.

When he was announced, Robin ran past Kal and Conner and Wally, soaking and reeking of blood and garbage. Conner, with his super sences, tried to stop him and ask why he was bleeding.  
>"I-It's nothing. Just a cut."<br>"More like several." Kal eyed him.  
>"Dude! What happened?"<br>"Nothing!" he wrenched his arm out of Conner's grip. "I am fine." the word were ground out, deliberate.  
>"Robin, whatever has happened, you can tell us." Kal put his hand on Robin's shoulder. Robin narrowed his eyes.<br>"Let. Go." he was about ready to haul off and deck Kaldur when the Atlantian finally released him.

He would forever slink into the shadows, wounded in one way or another, but it would never be with regret or sorrow.

He has lived his life to the fullest.

His parents' were cut short by a breaking wire, a breaking of another heart .

He stalked to his room, emotions finally shoved into the closet in the back of his mind.

And a plan forming in his head was enough insentive to get to the medical bay, patch up, re-suit up and head back out.

In fresh clothing, Robin shoved on his boots while half-jogging down the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks; Green Arrow and Flash were there, accompanied by Canary and Red Tornado. The entire team sat around as they talked in low tones and hushed voices. He clipped his cape back into place; the small clink making Superboy look up.

Holding a finger to his dry lips, he backed out of the room.

A moment later, a voice shouted, "Robin!"

Too late were they; just as always. He had become one with the shadows, one with the dark. Darkness and evil are seen as one entity. If he can become the shadows that haunt grown men, did theat mean he could become evil? What question is that, could a man, a boy, become evil? It was obvious that one could. But could he?

What made a man evil?

Obsession?

Ambition?

Racisim?

Hate?

Pride?

Darker thoughts?

The same thoughts rushing through his minnd; he could see the endless skies filled with hate, filled with pain. Images filled with blood, soaking in tears, shredding at his sanity-they were all his, all meant for him, all meant to break him and mold him into something great; someone mean to deal out punishment rather than try to help redeem those who dare defy the law.

It was either that, or meant to kill him, like everyone else.

But he would not die.

He refused.

Never compramise, never fear, never try to understand what others think they do. Suddenly discovering humanity is not something Robin will ever come to know. He knows this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

He knows this and its truth. He will never love, will never allow anything to be taken from him. Maybe he's never loved, not in the way others have. He could have caught his mother's hand, she was so close to him; tried to pull them up. He could have went down with them or jumped after them in blind panic.

But he didn't.

It took him several moments before he could dry. He thought it was the shock.

Now he thought it may have been a reaction, an instinct to seem normal, rather than a feeling of loss.

He could have saved several others through-out the years, instead of standing by and allowing Batman to fail. At times he knew Batman's plans would fail, just by listening to them, but he never voiced his opinion, his thoughts. And why? Because The Batman was suppose to know what he was doing. And, obviously, he did not.

What a fool he'd been, placing all his faith in another person, depending on them. Suddenly, it reminded him of a drowning man latching onto somthing heavy and as it begins to sink, he realizes his mistake and tried to pull away, only he's caught. The water surges over him, making him disoriented, creating panic and fear.

It reminded him of himself, which made him stop.

He looked around, now back to his sences.

Where was he?

Somewhere in Happy Harbor...At night...Alone and lost...

Great. Just great.

"Hey, kiddo! C'me're. I gots a question ta ask ya!" Several thugs had cornered him in the mouth of the alleyway.

Aw hell, he thought.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.  
>The bold in this is a Quote from this movie. Its not quite cross-over; just a joke i thought would fit! I do not own this...<p>

Sorry! Have had lots going on-Hope you like this chapter!

* * *

><p>His youth was speant watching the noose around his neck tightening, as others watched on with approval and pity. He was fed lies to protect him from the realities of life.<p>

But no there is nothing stopping him, nothing left to protect him.

Concentrated will, luck, skills, pain and understadning of the depths of the human mind.

That is what he has gained, the only thing he himself owns.

Everything else was Bruce's. Batman's.

But this was his.

He could feel bones breaking under his fists, could feel the ground shifting beneath his feet as he danced around them. He could hear their screams of pain, could see their sudden fear.

He just didn't care.

He laughed in their horrified faces. His crackle bounced down the alley, echoing and eerie in the night. Was it always that eeire? Making grown men cower in fear?

He always thought it was Batman who could do that.

Now he knew he could.

And he sure as hell would.

He hear their cries for mercy, he saw the crimson splash against the cold ground, watched it soak through the filth and knew it was what fed hate and lust.

He ran for the last man, the one running and screaming. He turned. Robin ran at him, dodging bullets and ignoring the sudden burning in his shoulder. He jumped up and landed a kick into the man's face, riding him into the ground, then dismounting.

And then it was quiet.

His labored breath was the only noise. He looked down at the men; four young men, all in their twenties. Their bodies were bloodied and bruised, but they breathed. Slowly and painfully, they breathed.

He backed into the shadows, the police sirens in the air. He caught onto a fire escape and lifted himself up easily, flipping onto it in a garvity defying move. He climbed to the top and peered over the edge, watching the police place the filth of this world into their fancy cars.

It disgusted him.

The protectors of the every day man shouldn't have such luxuries. These cars had things that were not needed, such as automatic no-hands parking. What the hell is with that? If you can't park a car, walk.

_Walking is healthy, for you and the enviroment_, said Bruce.

_You know what else is healthy for the enviroment, Bruce? Falling off a ten story building. One less person to use up precious resources. One less person who litters, who kills, who spreads hate and lies_. Robin's thoughts were turning darker as each moment passed.

Jumping from roof to roof, Robin felt the insane urge to laugh.

**He heard a joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life is harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor... I am Pagliacci." Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.**

Why had he thought this?

He could see the bioship leaving the mountian, from his perch on a roof, but he knew he was in no condition to fight or resist. He was not ready to go after Zucco. Not yet, anyway.

He'd collect his resources and allow his hate to fester into an unnatural force; one made from blood lust and hate, from a faded agony's memeory and from the greed of tommorrow.

Right now, however, the ground was spinning beneath his feet. He felt light headed and nearly went head first off the roof.

Its time to lay down, just for a bit...


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p><em>"Ahhh, Mr. Wayne, i can umderstand why you are angry-"<em>  
><em>"Angry! I'm Enraged! What am i paying you poeple for? Why does this school have the best security in the world? To keep these children and my son safe! And you can't even do that!"<em>  
><em>"Now, now, there is no need to sho-"<em>  
><em>"Yes, there is! You hear what i'm saying, but you Don't listen!"<em>

_Dick sighed and let his head thunk against the wall behind him._

_He sat on a leather and metal bench, next to his ignorant teammate and fellow hostage of the day: Artemis._

_She and him were used as hostages that morning when several armed men broke into the school. The two of them were chosen at seemingly random from the auditorum full of others. It wasn't until they were hauled to their feet did they realize this had all been planned. He was the ward of Bruce Wayne; an obvious target. As it turns out, they had done their research, but Artey's file wasn't online yet, so they figured she was the daughter of the newest blue-blood of Goathem._

_They were sat on the stage, hands tied behind their backs. The glare of the lights above them were harsh enough to make sitting on the cool wood unconfortable. Dick had let his head hang, though his eyes were counting the gaurds and guns. Without the luight in his eyes, he could make out every figure in the shadows._

_Tweleve._

_There were tweleve._

_He felt the blonde next to him shift closer. He felt her breath on his shoulder. He grinned inwardly. "It'll be alright." he whispered._  
><em>"What? No, it won't! How many are there? We don't know." she hissed, acting paniced. But he knew that she was calm. This was an act.<em>

_Online roleplaying?_

_Ha. This was waaaay better._

_"There are tweleve; all armed with automatices and-"_  
><em>"Hey, you! Shuddup!" he felt pain bloom across his face. <em>

_He'd just been slapped._

_He glared at his capture, and spat on him._

_It took every once of restraint he had not to jump that guy._

_Now, after everything was over, Bruce was raising hell and was scaring his teachers and principal shitless._

_"Wow. Your dad's crazy."_  
><em>"Hmmm? Oh. Sure, but he isn't my dad."<em>  
><em>"What do you mean?"<em>  
><em>"You mean you don't know?" he was surprised, shocked even. Every here knew about him, about what had happened.<em>  
><em>"No, i don't." she looked confused, concerned.<em>  
><em>"My parents were murdered when i was eight. I saw it happen. A week later, i was with Bruce."<em>

His eyes shot open, revealing a white ceiling and bright flourencent light. A quick look around showed Bats, sleeping in a chair next to him, and that he was in the medical bay. Feeling stitches uin his shoulder, he groaned softly as he sat up. His vision swam from aches he didn't know he would have. His head felt stuffed with cotton and had a painful need to relieve himself.

Silently slipping his feet onto the cold floor, he tip toed past Batman.

After finishing his business, he crawled back into the medical cot and covered back up, watching the Bat for any sign of movement, of any sign of him waking up.

He didn't.

He was either beyond the world of the living or he trusted Robin enough not to have his sixth Bat-sence go off.

Betting it was the latter, Robin smirked.

The one person Batman trusted was the one person who didn't want it, no matter how often it could be used and twisted to his personal agenda or desires.

Ironic.

He pulled down the oversized shirt he wore and eyed his bandages. How long had he been out? From the feel of it, a few days. How bad was the in jury? It must have been a through and through, since he was hooked up to an I.V. How did he not realize he was injured? Did they catch the guys who jumped him?

Shifting caught his attention and he closed his eyes, keeping his breathing even.

He felt something warm enclose his hand, a tight grip. He kept his hand limp, not matter how much he wanted to recoil or tence.

"Dickie," came a soft voice, "Come back to me. Fight." It was Bruce.

Bruce was worried.

Bruce is Batman.

Did that mean Batman was worried?

How badly had he been hurt?

_This is just plain cruel_, came a voice from the back of his mind. _He's worried sick and you don't even want to ease his worries. You're a sick, twisted person, Dick._  
><em>So what if i am twisted? Who isn't anymore?<em> But he supressed a sigh and let his hand twitch.

"D-Robin? Robin?" The desperation in Batman's voice was more than enough to make him wince.

Bat's mistook it for pain and alertness, his shadow falling over the light behind Robin's eyelids.

Shit.

"B-Ba..." His voice was way too hoarse for his liking, it was fading in and out of being able to work. He swallowed harshly but it didn't help much. He let his eyes open slowly, feeling the tight grip turn into a vice. "Not...feelin'...da aster, Bats."  
>"Robin, how do you feel? Does anything hurt? Drink this." A cup found its way to his lips before he could protest or answer any of the questions.<br>"S'ou'der hur's...Wha' happe'ed?" He was proped on the pillows by Batman, who then garbbed yet another blanket and put it over him.  
>"You ran out of the cave, came here, then ran out into Happy Harbor. You got caught in an alleyway and wwer shot. You made it out and onto a roof. The team found you..." Batman was holding something back, Robin knew, but he just let himself relax.<br>"Hm..." he let himself relax further, not realizing that Batman had thought he had fallen asleep.

Batman, thinking that his partner had fallen back to sleep, stood and stretched. He watched his son for a while, before feeling rage boil under his skin, rushing through his viens.

Tony Zucco.

He caused this.

Batman narrowed his eyes, though was torn between avanging his son and starying by his side.

His concern won out and he sat back down, holding his hand once more.

Robin was extremly confused as to why Batman was so restless and peeked through his mask, watching as his mentor's face changed several times before going carefully blank.

Eventually, the lul of the machines and Batman's even breathing really put Robin to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p>Robin awoke to the murmers of his mentor and others. It took a few more moments before recongizing Kal's voice, fallowed by Wally's. Peering through his mask, keeping his breathing even, he saw his team on one side of his bed and Batman on the other, Canary, Berry and Clark standing a little away.<p>

Conner didn't look too happy about Clark being there for _him_.

"His injuries are healing well?" Kal asked lowly, looking down at him, concerned.  
>"Yes. It is a wonder considering the bullet tore through both muscle and bone, having nicked an artery and having exited his back." Red tornado said from somewhere out of his line of vision. His voice nearly had him jump out of his skin for some reason. He felt something cold work its way through his chest, making him want to say something.<br>"Mhn..." he groaned before he could stop himself. He knew the feeling.

It was guilt.

"Rob! You awake, dude?" Wally leaned in close.

Robin opened his eyes.

Too close.

Robin bolted upright, knocked heads with Wally, and grabbed at his head, wincing. The sudden movements pulled at his sticthes and he hissed, holding his shoulder. "Dude...!"  
>"Sorry! Sorry, Rob!" Wally looked paniced as Batman gently pushed back onto the pillows, glaring at the red-head.<br>"What's goin' on?" his voice was whispery.  
>"It's alright." Clark reassured him as Batman made him drink some more water.<p>

Clark and Robin recived a foul glare from Superboy.

"Not what i asked." Robin complianed in a slightly stronger voice.  
>"Your injuries were servere, Robin." Canary put her hand on his. "But you're healing just fine, considering all the damage."<p>

His face screwed up in thought, conecting all of the dots and realizing how badly had been injured.

His head lowered at the thought of dying before having his revenge. It had been a stupid mistake running off half-cocked in the middle of the night with no destination in mind.

"Are you in pain?" asked M'gann, drawing everyone's attention.

He did not hear her.

He almost died from a bullet for no reason other than thugs wanting some sort of entertainment?

How sick and twisted was that?

The world wasn't crashing and burning.

It already had.

All that was left was ash and cockroaches.

"Robin?" Canary moved closer.

He didn't notice.

Teenage girls wearing whorish clothing, struting by the elders of the art expamples, getting raped.

Teenage boys play-acting as mature gangsters, getting killed.

"Robin? Robin?" Batman was in front of him now, trying to get his attention. His head snapped up, Batman's voice and a numbing feeling spreading through him making him realize they had been talking to him. "Better?"  
>"Yeah." he lied and gave a weak smile.<p>

-X-

A few days later, Robin was transfered back home, where he "slept" most of the time.

He was being driven crazy by Bruce and Alfred's constant hovering and questions and concern.

One day, he sat and watched a strom rage outside. It reminded him of a lot of things. It showed him a crying world in need of saving, of sobbing childrena dn weeping mothers, of stonic fathers and weak drunks; of crack heads in need of a fix, of the joker and his murderous ways, of Scarecrow and his fear gas.

Of his own fears.

Sometime later, he recived a call on his comm. link.  
>"Yo, Rob! How ya feelin'?" Wally's chipper voice came through loud and clear.<br>"O-kay, i guess." he spoke softly, a slight yawn cut him off, making it seem like he was either falling alseep or had been woken up.  
>"Dude, did i wake you?"<br>"Nah, jus' a bit sleepy. Bats been pumpin' me full of pain reliver. Think i'm high." he laughed, being legit about that.  
>"Seriously?""<br>"Yep. Hey, how about i set us up on a lik, talk face to face? I'm bored here."  
>"Uh...sure. Why not?"<br>"Kay give me a minute." Robin stiffly got out of bed and stumbled over to his computer. There he sat down and put up a cutain and put his mask in place.

Sometimes, when working as Robin when injured, Robin used Dick's computer, so he made a handy curtian that cut off the view of his room.

"Opening chat...Name is Bat4aLivin'."  
>"Cool. I'm FlashALight."<br>"Okay, ready; i'm opening up the chat." He clicked several keys and soon saw Wally sitting on the sofa at the mountian. He smirked. "Hey Wally."  
>"Rob! I didn't know we were going to talk on cam."<br>"Didn't i just say we were?" he cocked an eyebrow, leaning into his overstuffed leather chair and swivled around.

Turning back twoards Wally, he was surprised to see Kal and Conner peering over the sofa, while Artemis and Megan lean into Wally to see him.  
>"Uh...Hey, everyone..."<br>"Oh, Robin how-"  
>"Man, Rob, you look-"<br>"It is good to see that you are-"  
>"Hey." Conner finished.<p>

"Uhm. I didn't quite catch all of that, though i can guess most of it...I'm doin' okay, i guess. Thinkin' i'm high cuz' of all the pain killers Batman is giving me. Thanks for the compliment. I'm hoping to be back soon and thanks for the concern."  
>"Oh, that's good!" Megan said excitedly.<br>"You're welcome." Artey smiled.  
>"Good to know," Wally grinned.<p>

Several hours passed before anyone realized it.

That is until Robin fell to "sleep".

He was feeling something he'd rather not.

A connection.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Robin hissed under his breath, as Superboy smashed into the console he had been trying to hack. It was now in peices, destroyed and useless. Now he had to run over to the other one, on the other side of the room.<p>

That meant having to fight his way through the bullets and madmen.

Oh and let's not forget the monster with recombiant DNA.

It was huge, three times the size of Superboy and nearly twice as strong. It had odd speed and agility that mad Kid Flash and Robin nervous. It was oozing red acid that ate through the floor and could spit it.

Yep. Just another day in Heven.

_*Kal, I have to get to that console!*_ Robin was about to dart forward when he caught that thing's attention. Throwing Kid Flash down, it charged at Robin.

Inwardly screaming several multi-langaged curses, which everyone on the team, could hear becuase of the telepathic mind-link. Robin charged ahead, even against Kal's orders to retreat.

M'gann and Artemis were out for the count, since Artey had taken a shot that had ricocheyed and caught her arm, again. M'gann was giving her field first-aid.

Jumping, Robin caught the thing in the chest, sending jolts of pain up his ankles.

It didn't even stagger, instead throwing a punch that nearly clipped Robin's jaw. The creature then grabbed his ankle and threw him like a sack of potatoes.

But, being the awesome ninja with exact muscle control that he is, Robin caught hold of Aqualad's shoulders and used him to flip and land on his feet, making him and his leader back to back.

He caught several glances of awe.

Superboy charged the beast, catching its attention from Kid Flash, who was under its foot.

Superboy and it became locked hand in hand, fighting for the upperhand, growling and snarling. Using the diversion, Robin slid under their feet, freeing Kid Flash by sending off a smoke pellet in the creature's face, angering it.

It took a wide swing at him while stomping its feet.

With a yelp of surprise, Robin summersaulted out of its immediate path and darted through the array of bullets being sprayed at him, taking out several of the goons along the way, creating a semi-clear path for the team to either fallow or take advantage of.

Ignoring the on-going fight and the cries of pain behind him, Robin sqeezed behind a pillor, where he was semi-protected. He plugged into the console and did his best to hack as quickly as he could. In a few minutes, he had what they had come here for and gave the all-clear signal to retreat.

As he ran back to his team, he left his left unprotected, being busy trying to keep him and Aqualad out of the bullets' way.

He didn't see the monster until its arm had connected with his stomach, sending him flying head-first into a wall.

-X-

"Even though this intel is vital and there is plenty of it to put Cadmus on the chopping block, your team work has failed in this mission." Berry said with his arms crossed, pointedly glaring at the young bird.

Batman was running a tad bit late.

_Recongize Batman B01_

"Good work, team. You retrieved your intended target, decoded it and had started several seraches on the bio-hazardous materials included in the data." He strode into the room.

"But as Flash was saying, your work ethic had no solid planning. We'll have to work on that. Especially the fact that the fastest teenager alive kept getting stuck under that creature's foot." He gave Berry and Wally the Bat-Glare, leaving them both shivering in fear.

"Robin, good work keeping your team alive, considering it was suppose to be Kaldur's job." Another Bta-glare given, Batman walked back out of the cave. Kal hung his head in shame and Robin's face burned as all eyes were cast on him.

"We did not start analzying the data yet." M'gann stated slowly.  
>"I got bored?" he grinned guitily, posing it as a question.<p>

-X-

"Still, dude. To have him use you as a...as a...as a spring bored, it must'a been hard." Wally contiued to stuff his face.  
>"Actually, he is quite light." Kal sat back onto the sofa, beside M'gann.<br>"No shit; don't you see how scrawny he is?" Artemis snorted, leaning over its back.  
>"Artemis! What a rude thing to say!"<p>

Robin grinned from where he stood in the shadows of the hall behind them. He put in his headphones, turning on the music.

He walked out, drying his hair.

He wore a pair of grey sweat pants and a pain of socks.

No shirt.

It showed off his mild six pack which was a notciable wash-board tummy, his lean arms and flat chest. His skin was still slightly damp from the shower he had just had, leaving it glisten slightly in the light.

It also showed some scars, on his chest, arms and back; some bullet, some knife.

He could feel their eyes fallowing him, but he pretended he didn't. He grabbed a coke from the fridge and turned around, looking up in mild interest and pulled out his headphones.

_...I've become so numb!..._

"Uh, guys?"  
>"Dude! Not cool! How come you have a six pack but i don't?"<br>"Uh..."  
>"You're like three years younger than me!"<br>"You also eat ten times as much as me!" Robin snapped. "Geez. If you really want a six pack, all you have to do is train, trian, train, train and ask Berry to help curve your eating habbits to something healthier."

_...Can't you see that you're smothering me?..._


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p>A new mission had come and gone, where they had gotten the intel they needed, but were tussled fairly badly.<p>

Robin was no closer to nabbing Zucco, which was really starting to piss him off.

And it started with a glance.

One from Wally.

Then another from Conner.

One day he sat on the recliner, tryping away on his laptop. Wally had come in, eyed the Tv, then the coffee table and then him.

Wally bit his lip, eyeing the remote controllers on the clean glass, then back to Robin.

Robin, having kept his head down, looked up through his lashes and glasses.

Wally looked right at him, then repressing a sigh, he sat and started up the game system.  
>"That a two player?" Wally looked up in shock.<p>

At first, he almost didn't notice. But he quickly began seeing a pattern. While with Wally, he played video games. Ones where they got so competitive they ended up on top of one another, ususally shouting curses and insults at the top of their lungs. At first, when Wally first shouted at him, Robin had been pissed and shouted back.

It became a fun pastime to say the least.

Later, Robin jumped over the back of the sofa and sat, leaning into the cushions.

What he didn't notice at first, was the clone beneath him.  
>"Get. Off." The clone gave him a withering glance.<br>"Nope." he grinned and turned on the Tv.

While with Conner, they sat like that and spoke nearly non-stop about anything and everything, sometimes even in different languages which got them strange looks from the others.

Sure, he was making a relation of some sort with every member of the team, but Wall and Kon were the top two on his list. He tried to tell himself it was just because he might need Wally's relexes or easy support. Or he might want some muscle later on or some firece loyalty. Both of which came from Clark and were easily seen in Conner.

But perhaps, it was something more?

He shoved the thought out of his head immedaitly and almost regretted it.

Almost.

-X-

Some nights later, Batman had to leave him at the mountian. Alfred was off visiting a realative and Batman was needed off-world.

So that left him alone at the mountian.

With an ilegal alien.

An irritated archer.

A hyper-active speedster.

A calm and collected fish.

And an anger-management clone.

Lovely.

Sighing, he shrugged on his over-night messanger bag and stepped walked into the quiet mountian. The lights were out, the only sound was a humming of machines. Stumbling into the kitchen, he flipped on the light above the sink, giving a halo of yellow above his dark head, leaving his face in shadows. "Red Tornado? Megs? Kon? Hello?" After several moments of no answers, he sagged. "Great."

It was then he realized he was disappointed.

Disappointed.

Had he been looking forward to this "bonding time", as Batman had so kindly put it?

No.

Absoultly not.

No way in Hell.

...And yet...

Growling, he made his way to his assigned room. He walked through the pitch-black hall, listening to the softes of sounds, trying to use his Bat-sences, rather than turn on all the lights like a frightened child.

Thunder erupted above him.

He stopped in his tracks, having heard a soft curse when it erupted.

Wally.

He contiued walking.

A soft grunt.

Artemis.

A huff.

Conner.

He heard other soft noises most humans wouldn't pick up on. He reached his door and went inside, making sure it shut before anyone else slipped in. He turned on his light and threw his bag onto the floor beside his bed. He turned and crossed his arms, smriking.

Interesting.

Wally and Artey, in the same place, at the same exact time and not having an all-out PMSing war?

Conner not growling like some caged animal?

What did they think they were doing? Going to scare the wee lil' birdie? An initiation, perhaps? Or just boredem? Just for kicks?

He grinned, an idea striking him.

-X-

After about an hour of preperation, he opened the door, walking back down the hall.

He heard a whisper, just loud enough to make any other person nervous.

Thunder crashed above, and echoed down the halls.

"Guys? Not funny." He called out, then shook his head, fighting off a knowing smirk; hoping to appear as though he were uneasy.

He contiued walking, though a bit faster. "Where are the damn lightswitches?" he hissed. "I can't believe they're making us stay here, _after all those people died_. How can Conner and M'gann sleep in those beds? The attack came at night, so its obvious many died _in bed_. Probably even in the rooms we all sleep in."

He heard a slight whiper.

M'gann.

He reached the rec room but pulled up short, pulling around to look behind him. "Damn Bat-parionia."

He grinned as he walked over to the couch, being super careful as to where he sat; on its arm.

He senced them before he felt their movements in the air around him.

He picked up the remote.

They all shouted and garb bed at him.

Screaming, he inwardly laughed, as he fell forward and landed heavily on the ground, his hand brushing against his head.

A light flared on above him.

A scream erupted.

M'gann was kneeling next to him, crying out, "Robin! Robin! He's hurt!"  
>"What? Dude, this wasn't suppose to-"<br>"Aw hell, Batman'll have our heads!"  
>"Calm down every-"<br>"He's not breathing!" M'gann was wailing by now.

He peeked and saw Conner biting back laughter.

Oh-ho-ho, was Conner a fence man?

Robin let out a blood crudling scream that sent Conner reeling backwards in shock, before laughing like a lunatic. "Got you! I so got you!"


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

* * *

><p><em>You think ive got it all<br>__Everyone thinks ive got it made  
>well how come my only friends are the ones i pay<br>No one understands  
>what i would do to change my life<br>for just one day!_

The lyrics echoed through the mountian early the next morning, catching everyone's attention. They fallowed the music down several halls, most of which they had never been down, to open double doors, prpped open by a wooden block.

Looking in, they saw old fashion gym equipment. There were large bar-bells, older and bulkier tred-mills and mats; mostly covered in dust. A movement caught their eyes, from the far corner.

_...What you'd do  
>how things would be<br>if you were in my shoes!  
>Cuz' you're not me!<em>

Turning they saw Robin putting a box into a large storage room that connected to the room. From the looks of it, he was cleaning it out. He whiped his hands on his jeans and turned around, going straight for another box. He stopped though and looked at them, before hefting more of the dumb-bells into another box.

The track changed.

_...look at me  
>think back and talk to me<br>did i grow up accordin' to plan?_

Wally shrugged and moved forward, using his super speed and started cleaning the dusty floors. Conner huffed in irritation but picked up two tred-mills, and brushed past the little bird, into the storage room, asking "Where do ya want them?"  
>"Uhm, over there would be fine..." Robin pointed.<p>

M'gann used her telepathy to help move some of the matts, while Artemis grabbed another box. Kuldur moved forward and snatched up one of the balance beams.

This contiued until the floor was spotless and the place was bare.  
>"Now what?" asked Conner, looking around, semi-intrested.<br>"Um..."  
>"Don't tell me we did this for nothing!" The archer snipped.<br>"No! I...just didn't expect you guys to come in and help...Thought i was far enough in the mountian no one would hear. I was planning on setting up tech-room."  
>"Tech-room?" Wally asked, moving in front of him.<br>"Yeah. You know, kinda like the Batcave but here. Was thinkin' of calling it 'BirdNest' or somethin'."  
>"What is it you were planning on doing?" asked The atlantian.<br>"Well..." he looked torn.

Did he dare tell them about Zucco?  
>What if they made the connection?<br>What if Batman found out?

He didn't want to see pity in their eyes.

He hated pity.

"Well, ya see...I kinda promised this...kid i know that i'd..." He bit it off, realizing that he had started speaking before making his decsion. "Ya know it? Its nothin', really. Thanks for your help, though."  
>"Uh-huh, bird boy," Wally caught the back of his shirt as he tried to leave. "I wanna hear this."<p>

Robin's face srunched up tightly and he refused to look at him, at any of them.

Would they see his hate?

Would they see his mistrust?

"We won't tell Batman, promise." Aqualad knew the look, one of going against orders and others finding out.  
>"This kid's parent's murderer is still on the streets. I can't see him goin' through knowing he's still on free land."<br>"We'll help!" M'gan offered, excited. "Just tell us what you need and we'll get it!"  
>"I'll help on one condition," Atrey stated, "We chan ge the name to ThePit. Sounds intimidating."<br>"Sure, i guess."

Would this work?  
>Could he trust them?<br>Of course. There was no doubt. They wanted his trust.  
><em>Could<em> he, though?

So for the rest of the day, the team went through the mountians, finding both old and new materials for the youngest memeber of their team. They took apart old gym equitment, and Robin used some of his gameing devices and several "old" computers that everyone agreed, mentally, that they were too new. He was working on building everything from scratch, but it all looked sleek and brand new.

Soon enough a giant supercomputer with a huge screen ran along the wall oposite of the door.  
>"Dude, this is awesome!"<br>"You like? I wanted to do this in the BatCave, with some more modifications, but Batman wouldn't let me." He spit out his mentor's name, shocking the team that stood behind. He tapped several keys and it hummed to life.

"Team, where-ever you are, i suggest you come into the kitchen; it is getting late and you have yet to eat." Red Tornado's voice boomed above them on the intercom.  
>"This stays between us, right?" Robin asked, really worried that one would snitch.<br>"Duh, dude!"  
>"Yes."<br>"Whatever."  
>"Sure."<br>"Of course!"

Somehow he wasn't conforted by the thought of _everyone on the team_ knowing...

But he was reassured because everyone knew.

He hated it.

Despised it.

He crackled darkly to himself as the others by-passed his room, getting slightly worried looks.  
>"Why is it that when i'm here or with you guys, i can't stand working with Batman?"<br>"Teenage rebellion breeds with irritation." Conner stated. "What?" He got strange looks.  
>"Dude, from what i hear from my uncle, you're like the perfect kid. Ace school, can fight the bid baddies on your own and everything! I think that you're just...exploring your bounderies a lil'."<br>"...Somehow, i think you're right."  
>"Besides, your working with kids your age and making a real difference. And you've been at this much longer than any of us; Batman should be giving you more freedom." M'gann smiled from above him, where she was floating.<br>"Just asterous." he smiled.

He recived odd looks.

"_Dis_aster means _dis_truction. Take the _dis_ off and it becomes a positive."  
>"Just like how people are never just whelmed?" Wally grinned, remembering their 'initation day'.<br>"Exactly!"

-X-  
>That night he returned to Gotham, Kid Flash in tow.<p>

Turns out another one of Flash's villians had been tracked into Batman-territory. Since Robin had been off at the mountian until late, training with Canary, The Bat had allowed Flash try and help to capture the villian.

As of yet, they have not.

Robin was taking through the city, the long way, making sure to get Wally lost. He was jumping the rooftops with Wally running along the streets.

The night was dark, with clouds of gun-grey and darker night, reddened with the dying sunlight. Rumbling above them was a storm that was building. The cold winter of fall was howling through the deserted streets. Garbage and dying leaves were swirling in the wind, caught by invisible hands.

Robin pulled up short, seeing that dreaded alleyway.

_There were three consecutive pops seconds after he landed in a puddle of some sort. The first thing Robin was aware of was pain. It seared through his mind. He couldn't think, could barely breathe and couldn't move. His vision was fading and quivering, he couldn't focus his vision. His chest was on fire, it felt as though someone had taken a white-hot poker and was stabbing him repeatedly with each intake of breath. The intensity was too much…..he was going to…._

_His vision cleared for a few seconds, he wish it hadn't. He desperately wished it hadn't. This scene, small and ominous, burned like an iron in the back of his mind. There, laying next to him, facing him, eyes open and glazed with death, was a child. Blood pooled around her head, or what was left of it. Grey brain matter was splattered all over him and the ground. Blood poured freely from her skull, its entire upper half missing. Her skull's pieces, white and drenched in blood, was scattered everywhere. Her eyes seemed to stare into his very soul….._

He shook off a shutter.

Every time he met this spot, this one spot, he was knocked of his axes for a crucial moment.

Wally appeared next to him and all Robin could think of was that night, so many weeks ago.

_This was not just a home. A life. A city. It was his home. His life. His city._

_This is what he protected -_

_Whores._

_Gangsters._

_Mob bosses._

_Murders._

_Theives._

_Psychopaths._

_The list of horror will go on as time wears away what little sence of humanity these people-Dare he call the human?-have._

_-And for what?_

_Was this what Batman saw? Or was it what he saw in the past? Did he see only the good they did? Or merely tried to reach a fruitless goal never to be achieved? Or maybe he knew that there was nothing to save, and by being the only one who tried, he was seen as terrifying...A huge ego? _

He glanced at his partner for the night, yet everything was different now.

What had changed?

Wally contiued looking back at him, a silent question in the air.

What did this red-head see?

What did others see in the world?

What was his motiviation for working in this filth?

_This was not just a home. _

_A life. _

_A city. _

_It was his home. _

_His life. _

_His city._

His motives was born out of murder, out of greed and garbage, out of hate and sex, out of drug money and mob bosses.

He was created by the things he saw and look what had come of it.

"Welcome to hell on Earth, KF." His voice was void of all emotion, had a darker edge.

His crackle rivaled that of the Joker's as he swung onto the next rooftop, sending the few on the streets scrambling indoors.


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

**SERIOUSLY, I HAVE A TIE ON PAIRINGS FOR ROBIN**

**DO ME A FAVOR AND PICK ONE AND TELL ME**

* * *

><p>He made his way down the hall silently, retracing his footsteps by memory, no by light. The corridor was dark as night and cool.<p>

Carefully easing open the doors, he slipped inside and eased it shut, sighing at the near inaudiable click it made.

"Thought we agreed we'd work on this together." Wally's voice drifted to him from the darkness of the room. Robin froze, rooted to the spot.

How did he know he was going to be there?

A gust of wind brought goosebumps onto his arms and the light was flipped on, stinging his non-adjusted eyes from behind his mask.

"Dude, what happened?" His arm was bandaged, from under his shirt to the lower part of his forearm and had a cut above his eyebrow, stitched. His cape was torn as was his clothing.

"Nothing much." he shrugged it off, heading for the computer.

"Does Batman know?" Robin glared at the ginger, demanding that Wally not breathe a word to him. Only a few days had passed since Wally and Robin had worked together in Gotham before Batman was called away on yet another off-world mission. "Well?"

"I have some intel and i couldn't wait to crack it."

"Is it about that kid's case?" Wally peered over his shoulder.

"No shit, Sherlock." He plugged his wrist computer into the Pit's computer and pulled up several files. "I copied several from the Batcave, the police files, and a few from the Watchtower. Then i grabbed some from Zucco's headquarters a few hours ago."

"Why not work on it at the BatCave?" Wally's eyes widened.

"Because Batman would see it and freak." He cocked an eyebrow, his facial expression screaming about how stupid the ginger was being.

For the next several hours, Wally steadily got them snacks and drinks while he watched Robin work through the files, cracking their encryption codes and gathering the imforamtion onto one file before sorting through what he thought was important and what he thought was less needed.

Daylight was coming pretty quickly; it was nearing four in the morning.

By the time Robin was done, he was throughly exhausted and very pleased. He turned to find Wally slumped in a seat, sleeping and snoring. "I do all the work and he...grrr. Wally! Wake up!"

-X-

The team was busy with training and school for the next few days, leaving Wally burning with the unknown information Robin had found. Robin had put the computer on "LockDown" where he couldn't read it. He also hadn't had the chance to discuss it with the rest of the team, which aggrivated him even more.

Robin could only laugh at the ginger's irritation.

As the days wound tighter together, Robin was becoming aggitated as well, though for another reason.

It would be that almost five years have passed since his parents' murder and that scumb was still on the streets, causing people to slip and break theri necks.

As of now, the team was finishing up its Training Session with Canary. She and Robin were sparring one on one and so far, Canary had the little bird cornered. He barely had time to dodge the hits, let alone take his own aim and try to hit her. Though, admittedly, he had lasted a lot longer than any of the others.

The final seconds were ticking down, everyone knew this and was on edge. The blonde and acrobat's quick, harsh movements had become blurred together as they fought to gain the upper hand.

Then Robin did something unexpected.

He slipped under Canary and gave he a round-house kick to her lower back, sending her tumbling off the side of the Arena in shock.

Silence.

Stillness.

He had the urge to laugh at her.

She got onto her hands and knees as the computer's voice monotoned, "Canary Status: Fail."

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" M'gann knelt next to her.

"Yes, i'm fine. Just took me by surprise there." She stood up and gave Robin a hard look, seemingly to try and figure out what had happened.

But she knew what had happened.

His parents' death anneversiry was coming up within a week's time.

"That's enough for today, i think."

-X-

Robin and the others had gathered into ThePit after getting showered and changed, opting to eat lunch there, undisturbed and alone. This way, they could both talk about the case and plan.

Though Robin had no intentions to go through with their plans.

He was going to get his revenge.

Alone.

"How do you know Batman won't find us here?" Conner asked, pointing to the camera. Robin looked away from the computer screen, eyes darting from the clone to the machine mounted on the wall.

"You see that box-like thing under it? That's its memory. I hacked it so now all he sees is a dark room with old gym equipment. I also made all of the bugs def by using a maetic feild ."

"Cool." Wally grinned, before garbbing a handful of chips. "Dude, its like you're more tech than human!"

_Humanity._

_Was it really a word? Or something made up? To make others feel safe from their friends? Was a friend a real thing? Or did they all wish to stab you in the back first chance they got? Was that what Batman thought? Is that why only four people knew who he really was, himself included?_

_He had given up trying to figure out what 'Humanity'supposedly meant years ago. Dictonaries were what other people thought the word meant, not what it actually meant in terms of reality. They were nothing more than empty words and promises, false truths and lies; hate and pain and lust mixing horribly to create a society on the verge of overpopulation and war._

_Lies._

_All of it._

_He knew the truth of the situation they had found themselves in better then most._

_If not all._

His fingers paused on the keys for a shocked moment.

He now knew something was off with him.

Because he did not agree with the thoughts going through his head.


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own Young Justice

I do not own Robin, in legal form or body... XD

I may contiue this...though it will start as a one-shot, see how people will react.

Watchmen? Watched the movie last night-Amazing. New Fav. Movie.

**HERE WE GO-WINDING DOWN **

* * *

><p><em>Dictonaries were what other people thought the word meant, not what it actually meant in terms of reality. They were nothing more than empty words and promises, false truths and lies; hate and pain and lust mixing horribly to create a society on the verge of overpopulation and war.<em>

It was the truth.

_What he saw was not streets, but gutters. Gutters that were overflowing with human blood, rotting corpses basking in the half-hidden moonlight, their faces frozen in terrified screams and harshly disfigured. The vermin that have somehow survived this long will drown in their combined blood lust and sex and murder. It will be intresting to watch, how this city will burn itself to the ground...or rather, drown in a seas of blood caused by a hate with no foundation._

_Right now, they stared into the gates of high fire and darkness, the smell of brimstone burning through the air. Hell has opened again, having reached the Witching hour, taking more souls every night. Every person with any sort of intelligence will be left speechless, while the rest will screaming in agony. They will scream like children, who have just began witnessing what they have been sheltered from their entiore life: Reality._

_The night reeks of murder and fear, as does ever other one._

This was the truth.

It had to be, it was all he knew.

Robin walked aimlessly around the manner, going through the many interlocking hallways but never getting lost, even though he was not watching where he was going.

Not Dick.

Robin.

Sure, he wore no glasses or had any insignia. But he was Robin, the boy who frightened men, not Dick, who is an ophaned boy under the care of a playboy.

He had learned long ago that Dick never exsisted.

_Every person with any sort of intelligence will be left speechless, while the rest will screaming in agony. They will scream like children, who have just began witnessing what they have been sheltered from their entire life: Reality._

This is what he saw each day.

Hate and lust, sex and guns, drugs and whores...It went on and on.

He didn't have to look out the window to know there was a child sitting on the sidewalk, a bruise on his cheek and tears sliding down his face. He didn't need to turn on the news to know there were at least ten different serial killers running lose in this city alone, that Batman and Robin and the police were stretched so thin that they couldn't catch them all.

He didn't need to be told that Zucco was hunting him down, thinking he had sicced the Batman on him those few short years ago, that he was attacked on behalf of the orphaned circus freak whose parents he had just killed.

What came as the shock was that Bruce, no Batman, was allowing Young Justice to become his personal body gaurd until he was found and thrown back in jail. Only this time, the jail would be of Batman's choosing.

Or would it be Bruce who chose?

Who the father or the mentor of this boy be the one to decide, since both sides of the one he lived with had seperate personalities, all their own?

The front door rang and his head snapped up, his face hard.

The team has arrived.

-X-

"Yes, sir. We understand." Aqualda was wearing his civvies, as was everyone else. Artemis had to wear glasses and a wig, on Batman's orders and now she knew why.

She was going to be protecting Dick Grayson; that irritating freshmen who had snapped that picture with her. "We'll laugh about this one day."

Right now, they were speaking with Bruce Wayne and his butler.

"He is not to know what is going on. Don't even hint at it. I don't want him worrying." Bruce looked down at them, not quite glaring but making it a stressed point.  
>"Of course, sir." She smiled as best she could.<br>"Where is he?" M'gann asked, looking around the foyer, which was at least twice the size of the rec room back at the cave.  
>"Upstairs, i believe. I dare hope he is not in the basement. I don't like the idea of him being down there too often." The butler and Bruce shared a look before he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, seeming to know how to text, waited.<p>

A phone's ringtone went off somewhere to their right.

A few moments later, Dick came out of the hall. He looked up and saw the team, who offered him smiles, but he just gave them a look of pure mistrust.

Robin couldn't believe this.

How much did they know?

He could handle himself!

"Dick, this is Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian and...I'm sorry, i didn't catch your name." He placed a hand on his ward's shoulder, steering the smaller boy near them.  
>"Uhm...Quiver. Name's Quiver."<br>"Hi." Robin, using Dick's soft voice, said.  
>"I have to go, but Dick, be sure to be poliet. Maybe give them a tour? They'll be staying with us for some time." Atremis, who knew this kid from school, was suddenly feeling cold. Of course, he didn't know it was <em>her<em>, only that she was a stranger in his house for an unknown reason.

And then Bruce was gone.

Alfred left to go prepare dinner, leaving the teens alone.

"So...What do you want to do?" asked Kid Flash.

Dick eyed him before motioning for them to fallow him, taking them up the stairs. "This is the second floor. That there is the parlor and that's the billard room. This is the sitting room, and that at the other end is the library and Bruce's home-office." He pointed to the rooms and turned around to point to the library. "There are two stairways that lead up to the thrid floor, one on this end and one over in the back. I suggest using this one, since its newer and doesn't creak."

He lead them up the darkened stairway, pointing to paintings and such, until they reached the top.

"Uhm...I'm not sure which rooms you'll be taking. You'll have to ask Alfred. This is my room, and the one across is Bruce's. Alfred's is next to his. The room next to mine is my office. And Alfred's room connects to his office..."  
>"Wait, you have an office?" Asked Wally in disblief.<br>"Yes...? Bruce wants to make sure i get all my work done without being distracted." He shifted unconfortably, shoving his hands deep into his jeans' pockets.  
>"Tch." Wally grumbled under his breath, but caught the look Dick sent him. "What?"<br>"What? Geez. You think just cuz' Bruce is some big hot-shot rich guy means i gotta be a snob? Way to steryotype!" He pushed past him, only to be stopped by a ringtone.

Not just any ringtone.

"Robin's".

He fumbled with it, acting angry but relieved. "Hey, what gives, Rob?" He paused, waiting. "No. Everything's fine." He counted to ten. "What? Are you here?" He looked around, lifting the phone from his ear, allowing his recorded eerie crackle to filter through the air. "Dude! Bruce'll kill you if you hacked the system again!"

Alibi complete.

Thanks to the parinoid Batman.

"Yeah...? What! I'm going to kill him." He hung up the phone, glaring at the team.

But that didn't mean he couldn't entertain himself.


End file.
